Chapter 30:Tethers,Triggers and proposal

The air inside Khan Global was unnaturally still, like the silence before a storm. Fluorescent lights hummed above, but to Andaleeb, the sound faded into nothingness. Her vision was a whirl of white noise—blurry, grainy, and too bright all at once. Her hand reached forward to press the elevator button, but her fingers trembled uncontrollably.

And then… everything went black.

She didn't even feel her knees give way.

Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.

"Andaleeb!"

Zayan's voice rang out, sharp with fear.

Her eyes fluttered open, dazed, and found herself curled against his chest. The steady thump of his heartbeat echoed in her ear. His arms wrapped protectively around her, holding her like something precious—like something he couldn't afford to lose.

She wasn't sure if she was dreaming.

"Stay with me," he whispered, eyes wild with concern.

Ignoring the stunned glances from employees who had stopped mid-step, Zayan scooped her into his arms and carried her back toward his office—long strides, jaw clenched, eyes unblinking.

No one dared stop him.

Inside His Office

Zayan laid her down gently on the leather couch. He crouched beside her, one hand brushing the strands of hair from her forehead, the other resting on the edge of the cushion, as if afraid she'd vanish if he let go.

"Andaleeb, talk to me. What happened? Are you sick? Did you eat? Are you dizzy?"

"I'm fine," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Just… tired."

His brows furrowed. "This is not tired. You collapsed in the hallway."

She looked away, a flicker of guilt flashing through her eyes. "It's nothing. Really."

Zayan's jaw tightened. His gaze scanned her pale face, the faint shimmer of sweat on her temple. He knew she was lying, but she looked so fragile—so haunted—that he didn't dare push her.

Not yet.

He exhaled slowly, got up, and poured her a glass of water. Then he sat on the floor beside the couch, arms resting on his knees, his eyes never leaving her.

"Rest here. Don't argue. Please… just for a bit."

For once, she didn't argue.

Back at the Café – Eman's Panic

Eman stared at the flickering tablet in her hands. The data made no sense.

Andaleeb's vitals were plummeting.

"No… no, no, no—this isn't right!"

She tapped the screen again, but the lines remained the same. Her pulse. Her energy. Her cellular stability.

The countdown had accelerated.

It was a side effect of the Emergency Disappearance Protocol—the one that had been silently running in the background since the night of the prototype sabotage. A defense mechanism. One designed to erase all traces if detected.

But the cost...

"She won't make it," Eman whispered, chest tightening.

She clenched her jaw. "Not like this. Not when she finally has something to live for."

Glancing at the holographic interface, she bit her lip so hard it bled. Her hands trembled as she whispered, "Hang in there, sister. I'll fix this. I swear."

Haroon's Discovery

In a dark corner of his apartment, Haroon scrolled through Khan Global's internal server logs, eyes moving fast across lines of code. Sweat trickled down his neck as he filtered through camera feeds, checking timestamps and file versions.

There.

A blink of corrupted footage from the R&D floor.

He ran a forensic analysis.

The culprit had spliced and looped feeds. Amateur work. But enough to cover a theft.

Aleena's assistant.

Haroon sat back, a grim smile tugging at his lips. "Got you."

He didn't hesitate.

He sent an encrypted message directly to Zayan.

Trust your instincts. She's not the traitor.

Zayan and Aleena

Aleena knocked lightly and stepped into Zayan's office, holding two takeaway coffee cups in her hands.

"I thought you could use a break," she said sweetly. "Double espresso. Your favorite."

Zayan barely glanced up. "I'm not thirsty."

She placed the cup on his desk and moved closer. "We haven't talked in a while. I miss that. Us."

His gaze finally lifted to meet hers—cool and unreadable. "There is no 'us.'"

She tilted her head, forced a smile. "I saw how you looked when she collapsed. Jealousy's a dangerous thing, Zayan."

His expression hardened. "Jealousy's not a good perfume, Aleena. It smells desperate."

Her smile faltered.

He stood, shoulders squared. "Don't insult Andaleeb again. And don't mistake my silence for interest."

He walked past her without another word.

Aleena's hands clenched into fists.

Rooftop Calm

The rooftop garden swayed under the evening breeze, city lights glittering below like scattered diamonds.

Andaleeb sat beside Zayan on a cushioned bench, a thick blanket wrapped around both their shoulders. Steam curled up from their mugs, cinnamon and cocoa mingling in the air.

Silence stretched between them. It was not uncomfortable. It was… full.

"I'm not going to push you," Zayan said, finally. "But I know something's hurting you."

She stared at her cup.

He waited.

"Even if I told you," she whispered, "you wouldn't understand."

He turned toward her, voice soft. "Try me."

Her fingers curled tightly around the mug. "Some truths break people."

"Then let me break," he said. "I'll still choose you."

Tears gathered in her lashes. She turned her face away.

His hand slid over hers, gentle and warm.

"Andaleeb, I don't know what's going on. But I'm not walking away."

She didn't reply.

But she didn't pull her hand away either.

Seaside Proposal

The night air was cool against her cheeks as Andaleeb stepped onto the moonlit beach.

Her phone had buzzed only once.

Come to the sea.

Now she stood barefoot in the sand, waves brushing her toes, the ocean stretching endlessly in front of her.

And then—she saw him.

Zayan stood a little distance away, backlit by the silver moonlight. No arrogance in his posture. No sarcasm in his eyes. Just quiet vulnerability.

He walked toward her slowly, as if afraid she might vanish with the tide.

When he reached her, he didn't speak immediately. He just looked at her—really looked. His eyes roamed her face like it was the most important map he had ever seen.

Then, he gently took her hands in his.

"You can keep your secrets," he said softly. "I don't care if you're a witch, or a ghost… or something from another world."

Her breath caught.

"I just need one answer," he whispered. "Do you like your Mr. Heartless?"

Her eyes widened.

"You know?" she asked, stunned.

"I saw your notebook," he smiled faintly. "The one where you drew a little heart next to my face. I wasn't always like this, you know. Cold. Rigid. But you made me feel again."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small velvet box.

She gasped as he opened it—inside was a simple, elegant ring. A silver band with a pale blue stone that shimmered like starlight.

"Because I love you, Andaleeb," Zayan said. "No matter what you are. I want you—all of you. The chaos, the light, the pain, the secrets. I'll take it all."

Tears welled in her eyes.

Zayan stepped closer, gaze unwavering.

"I don't care if you never tell me the truth. Just let me love you. Let me stay."

Her lips trembled.

He took a deep breath.

"Be mine," he said. "Say yes."

Andaleeb stared at him—at the man who had once been cold and cruel, now bare and broken in front of her, offering not just love, but loyalty.

A laugh bubbled through her tears, soft and disbelieving. Her heart thudded so loudly she could hear it in her ears.

She didn't say anything.